07-13-2015, 04:58 PM
(07-13-2015, 12:44 PM)ac3r Wrote:(07-13-2015, 12:27 PM)panamaniac Wrote: I'm confused - Kitchener is all about the brick.
I understand what you're saying. Kitchener was an industrious city in the past. But so was Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver. There are lots of gorgeous old factories and apartment buildings built centuries ago that are being modernised, but virtually all the new projects going up are still these cheap looking condos. I realise most of the developers are small and don't have reputable architectural firms behind them, nor the money, but why are they shying away from more intriguing designs? Collaborate with the school or something - I mean most of the tech firms here pull talent from local students, why not involve the architecture and design students.
I have a lot of friends who study architecture at UoW and see all these things going up and say, once they graduate, they'll most certainly be working in Toronto instead of here because there are more opportunities to design and build more innovative and contemporary projects, because everything that gets approved in this city looks like this or this. City Centre, the pharmacy building etc were exceptions due to their status symbol, but the rest of these projects are going to age horribly - visually and physically - in 15-20 years.
I strongly agree with you. Most of the new projects that are getting approved have little consideration for the long term. I'm not sure if it's local market pricing that is forcing cheaper construction, but I am concerned for the long term. I hope Kitchener doesn't follow Waterloo with the student housing mess. Many of those buildings built 5 years ago already are looking old. Developers in general need to up their game and the City needs to be stern when giving approvals.
I think this project could visually be improved greatly just by using some different materials. Hopefully this isn't the final approved rendering.